Ruuttu Gets Shot At Revenge

October 21, 1992|By Mike Kiley.

Christian Ruuttu wouldn`t mind taking care of two annoyances at the same time Wednesday night in Buffalo. He figures he is overdue for a goal, and scoring it against a team that downgraded him to strictly a defensive center would be sweet revenge.

The former Sabre, acquired this summer by the Blackhawks, will have some extra adrenaline pumping for this game. He returned to Buffalo for a preseason game last month, but this encounter will be different.

``This one`s for real, more intensity involved,`` he said. ``I`m going to be a little nervous. But I want to get my first goal in. I should have had one by now. I have to get rid of that zero.``

No commitments: Both the Sabres and Hawks refused to name their starting goalies for the game. Former Hawk Dominik Hasek hasn`t turned into the No. 1 goalie Buffalo predicted. Hasek is 0-2 with a 5.04 goals-against average.

Rather than Hasek, coach John Muckler may give Tom Draper his season debut in goal Wednesday or possibly return to Daren Puppa, who is 3-1 with a 3.47 goals-against mark.

Coach Darryl Sutter refused to disclose whether he`d start Ed Belfour or Jimmy Waite, while noting that he had made up his mind.

``We still expect Ed Belfour to be our No. 1 goalie, even though we want them both competing for the job,`` he said.

Two by two: Sutter is thinking by pairs for his lines, not threes. He said he wants the following twosomes on the same line: Jeremy Roenick and Steve Larmer, Dirk Graham and Stephane Matteau and Michel Goulet and Dave Christian. Otherwise, it`s up for grabs.

Center Mike Hudson is wondering where he fits after being scratched from the lineup last Sunday. Sutter implied he soon may scratch winger Brian Noonan as well if he doesn`t start getting more than one scoring chance a game.

``It makes you mad to get scratched,`` Hudson said. ``I know one problem is I`m stopping high in the offensive zone after I cross the blue line and trying to make plays there. I have to carry the puck deeper before I try to do something.

``I can`t keep playing on the outside. I have to get inside.``

Another week: Sergei Krivokrasov will play another week in the minors with Indianapolis. Sutter said the club will evaluate him in International League games this weekend and decide whether to recall the 18-year-old. ``Players should come back only as a reward,`` he said. ``He was not even average (for the Ice) last weekend.``